Toy submarine.



A. F. HUMPHREY. TOY SU-BM'ARINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1911.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

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inn s ra rnie rarinrrr ora ion A ALEXANDER F. HUIVIPHREY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOUETH TO WILLIAM L. SWARTZ AND ONE-FOURTH TO RAYMOND C. MICHAELS, BOTH OF PITTSBURGH, PENN$YLVANIA.

TOY SUBMARIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed March a, 1917. Serial No. 153,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER F. HUM- PHREY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Submarines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in toy submarines.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a toy boat in miniature having the appearance of a war submarine and furnished with motive power whereby the same readily submerges and travels beneath the surface of the water.

A further object of the device is the provision of a toy boat that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, suitably ornamental and capable of operating after the manner of the wellknown submarine boats.

The present invention further aims to provide a boat which may be propelled beneath the surface of the water by the employment of a rubber-band motor, means being provided for replacing the air inside the boat with water during the submerging operation, while automatically releasable means and torpedoes are carried by the structure, together with the representation of a conning tower and periscope.

WVith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then claimed.

In the drawings forming a partof this application like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with the motor winder in position.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device with the upper section of the hull removed.

Fig. 1 illustrates a modified form of diving fin employed.

--'Fig. 5 is a view of the propeller and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the hull showing a solid form of conning tower and periscope, and,

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of hull employable with the device.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the device broadly consists of a miniature submarine boat preferably formed in two complemental sections 1 and 2 hereinafter termed the upper and lower sections respectively, and forming the hull of the boat when assembled in matched or alined engagement, the sections being pivotally connected together by a pintle 20 arranged in the forward portion of the hull and the sections are held in horizontal matched engagement by the retaining means, here shown in the form of a cap or ferrule 17 adapted to fit over the stern portions of said sections 1 and 2 and retained in position by means of the pins 17 17 Alining channels 8 and 9 are provided in the hull sections 1 and 2 forming a central bore or rotor chamber within the hull terminating rearwardly-at the cap 17, water inlets 10 and 10 being provided at opposite sides of the lower section 2 communicating with the said chamber for permitting water to flow into the same when the hull is submerged in the water.

A plurality of outlets 18 extend upwardly through the top section 1 for permitting the escape of air from the chamber in the hull as the said chamber fills with water. A conning tower 3 in the form of a hollow casing is mounted upon the upper section 1 having a forwardly hinged lid 4 adapted to be maintained closed during the forward movement of the boat through the water while outlet openings 3 are provided therein for allowing the water to drain from the hollow conning tower when the boat emerges from the water. A form of periscope 21 is mounted upon the said lid 4: while a well 22 is arranged in the deck portion 25 of the hull section 1 which surrounds the conning tower 3. A flag pole 26 may be arranged adjacent the bow of the boat, the prow 27 of which is of suitable curvature and form for cutting the water during the passage of the boat therethrgugh,

A ballast plate 5 of lead or other heavy material is secured by means of hold-fast members 5, 5 to the bottom of the lower section 2 beneath the deck portion 25 while a rudder 19 is arranged rearwardly thereof for maintaining the vessel in an upright position.

Forward submergence rudders or diving fins 6, 6 are arranged suitably inclined at theopposite sides of the bow portion of the hull, preferably having a connecting strip 28 secured to the lower section 2 by a nail 6 and arranged transversely of the hull between the sections 1 and 2 thereof. Similar rear diving fins 7, 7 are oppositely arranged at a point adjacent the rudder 19, the said rear fins being preferably separated and secured to the lower section 2 at opposite sides of the channel 9 thereof by means of nails 7 7 respectively.

Propelling mechanism is provided for the boat consisting of a propeller 11 having its shaft 12 journaled through the cap 17 and arranged axially of the chamber of the hull with a terminal loop positioned therein. A rubber band 15, constituting the motor, is arranged for driving the propeller 11, being connected with the loop 14 and with a suitable anchoring means at the forward end of the chamber or bore of the hull such as the nail or pin 16 secured to the lower secmerging operation.

tion 2.

A crank 12 is arranged for twisting the rubberband 15, the said crank having a receiving eye 29 for engaging over an extension 12 of the shaft 12 rearwardly of the propeller 11. It will be understood that by holding the boat in one hand, the

crank 12 may be readily applied to the propeller shaft 12 as best illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing so that by turning the said crank, the rubber band 15 will be tightly twisted and placed under tension within the chamber of the hull. The boat is then placed upon the water and upon releasing the propeller. the untwisting of the rubber band 15 rapidly revolves the propeller, forcing the boat forwardly, while the downwardly inclined forward and rear fins 6 and 7 respectively, direct the passage of the craft beneath the surface of the water, whereupon theair within the chamber passes outwardly through the outlets 18, admitting water into the said chamber during the subl/Vhen the force of the motor 15 has become exhausted. and the propeller 11 comes to astate of rest, the

travel of the boat will stop and the same will rise to the surface of the water by reason of the buoyancy of the material ofwhich the hull is composed. A member A maybe arranged upon a post 0 upon'the upper section 1 for representing a mine while an elongated member E representinga torpedo. may be loosely mounted. upon. a;

similar post F, it being understood that the said mine and torpedo will be retained upon their respective posts by the pressure of the water during the initial forward travel of the boat but will become loosened and rise to the surface when the speed of the craft is lessened, permitting them to become disengaged from said posts.

The pins 17, 17 may be dispensed with if desired, it being an essential feature of the structure that the cap 17 may be readily removed for permitting the sections 8 and 9 to be swung laterally of each other upon the pin 20 as a pivot for permitting the removal or renewal of the rubber band or motor member 15 within the chamber of the hull. It is obvious that the propeller 11 may be secured to the shaft 12 by solder or other means 12 if desired as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing while a fin 30 of the form illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing may be employed if desired having a prong 31 for ready insertion at a suitable point in the. hull, this construction being less expensive than the diving fins heretofore described, when the question of expense is to be considered. It will be noted that a solid conning tower 3* may be provided if desired as shown in Fig. 6 instead of the usual hollow tower 3, while pellets or articles (not shown) may be arranged within the well 22 or tower 3 if desired for representing the cargo or ammunition for the boat. The hull may be formed of wood, paper, hollow tin or other buoyant formation and instead of being arranged in sections such as the sections 1 and 2 herein illustrated, the same may be formed of a single block of material, such as 32, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the draw: ing, at which time a central bore 33 will be provided for accommodating the propeller and rubber band motor of the form heretofore set forth.

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are believed to be preferable, it will be understood that minor changes may be made in such details as the hull and driving means as well as the representations of different portions of the usual submarine and diving mechanism thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as hereinafter claimed. The passage of thetoy submarine through the water and beneath the surface thereof with the air bubbles escaping from the outlets 18 presents a realistic appearance, the operation of the boat being accompanied by the automatic release ofthe representations of the mine and torpedo A and E respectively.

What I claim as new isz 1. A toy boat comprising similar upper and lower sections pivotally connected: to-

matched engagement, a propeller, and a motor therefor renewable upon the relative pivoting of the said sections.

2. A toy boat comprising similar upper and lower sections pivotally connected together, means for securing the sections in matched relation, the said boat having a longitudinal chamber therein terminating at the rear of the boat, a propeller having its shaft extending into the chamber, and a rubber band anchored within said chamber operatively attached to the said shaft.

3. A toy boat comprising a hull formed of substantially similar upper and lower sections pivotally connected together, a removable retaining cap for the said sections, the said boat having a longitudinal chamber therein terminating at the said cap, a propeller having its shaft journaled through the said cap, a rubber band anchored within said chamber operatively attached to the said shaft, the said hull having air outlets and water inlets therethrough communicating with the said chamber, and inclined diving fins arranged at opposite sides of the hu 1.

buoyant sections having cooperating grooves therein providing a longitudinal chamber within the hull terminating at the stern thereof, pivotal connections between the said sections, and propelling means for the boat arranged within said chamber and eX- tending rearwardly of the boat.

5. A toy comprising a hull formed of two buoyant sections having cooperating grooves therein providing a longitudinal chamber within the hull terminating at the stern thereof, pivotal connections between the said sections, a retaining cap removably carried by the rear ends of said sections, a propeller having a shaft journaled through the said cap, and a rubber-band motor anchored within said'chamber operatively connected to the said shaft.

6. A toy comprising a hull formed of two buoyant sections having cooperating grooves therein providing a longitudinal chamber within the hull terminating at the stern thereof, pivotal connections between the said sections, a retaining cap removably carried by the rear ends of said sections, a propeller having a shaft journaled through the said cap, an anchoring pin carried by the lower section at the inner end of said chamber, and a rubber band removably connected to said shaft and pin.

7 A toy comprising a hull formed of two 4:. A toy comprising a hull formed of two buoyant sections having cooperating grooves therein providing a longitudinal chamber within the hull terminating at the stern thereof, pivotal connections between the said sections, a retaining cap removably carried by the rear ends of said sections, a propeller having a shaft journaled through the said cap, and a rubber-band motor anchored within said chamber operatively connected to the said shaft, the hull having water outlet openings through opposite sides thereof adjacent the opposite ends of said chamber, the said upper section having air outlets therethrough communicating with the said chamber.

8. A toy comprising a hull formed of two buoyant sections having cooperating grooves therein providing, a longitudinal chamber within the hull terminating at the stern thereof, pivotal connections between the said sections, a retaining cap removably carried by the rear ends of said sections, a propeller having a shaft journaled through the said cap, an anchoring pin carried by the lower section at the inner end of said chamber, and a rubber band removably connected to said shaft and pin, the hull having water outlet openings through opposite sides thereof adjacent the opposite ends of said chamber, the said upper section having air outlets therethrough communicating with the said chamber. v

9. A submergible-toy comprising upper and lOWer sections pivotally connected together in hull formation and having a longitudinal chamber therein, a propeller at the rear of the hull, a rubber-band motor for the propeller within said chamber adapted for renewal when said sections are pivotally dis posed laterally, the upper section having a deck portion, a ballast plate secured to the bottom of the lower section opposite the said deck portion, a conning tower upon said deck having drain openings therein, and a forwardly hinged lid upon said tower adapted for closing during the forward movement of the boat.

10. A device of the class described comprising a toy submarine boat, a hollow conning tower upon the top thereof having drain openings therein, a hinged lid for said tower normally closed during the forward movement of the boat, an imitation of a peri scope upon said lid, and automatically releasable mine and torpedo members carried by the boat.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALEXANDER F. HUMPHREY.

Gogies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatente.

Washington, D. 0." 

